U.S. patent application number 12/762231 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-18 for system and method for contactless smart-cards.
This patent application is currently assigned to ORANGE PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES LIMITED. Invention is credited to Peng Jong Hum.
Application Number | 20100293613 12/762231 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40567852 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100293613 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hum; Peng Jong |
November 18, 2010 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTACTLESS SMART-CARDS
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention are concerned with smart-card
devices and in one aspect provide a mobile communications device
for providing a user with access to information relating to
authorized take-up of a service for which authorization is provided
using a contactless smart-card device. The device includes a
plurality of personal information managers, each having a data
store comprising a plurality of data fields. The device is
configured to access an interface for receiving data from the
smart-card device and a a parser arranged to parse the received
data so as to identify content therein and to identify, from the
parsed content, content portions corresponding to at least some of
said plurality of data fields. An application manager is provided
to select a personal information manager on the basis of the
identified content; wherein the application manager is arranged to
provide the selected personal information manager with said
identified content portions so as to update the selected personal
information manager with parameters accompanying the taken-up
service.
Inventors: |
Hum; Peng Jong; (London,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KNOBBE MARTENS OLSON & BEAR LLP
2040 MAIN STREET, FOURTEENTH FLOOR
IRVINE
CA
92614
US
|
Assignee: |
ORANGE PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS
SERVICES LIMITED
Bristol
GB
|
Family ID: |
40567852 |
Appl. No.: |
12/762231 |
Filed: |
April 16, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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PCT/EP2008/064032 |
Oct 17, 2008 |
|
|
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12762231 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
726/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 20/352 20130101;
G06Q 20/327 20130101; G06Q 20/3229 20130101; G06Q 20/3574 20130101;
G06Q 20/32 20130101; G06Q 20/3278 20130101; G07F 7/0893 20130101;
G06Q 20/3221 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
726/20 |
International
Class: |
G06F 21/00 20060101
G06F021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 18, 2007 |
EP |
07118806.4 |
Oct 18, 2007 |
GB |
0720382.1 |
Claims
1. A mobile communications device for providing a user with access
to information relating to authorised take-up of a service for
which authorisation is provided using a contactless smart-card
device, the mobile communications device comprising: a plurality of
personal information managers, each having a data store comprising
a plurality of data fields; wherein the mobile device is configured
to access: an interface for receiving data from the smart-card
device; a parser arranged to parse the received data so as to
identify content therein and to identify, from the parsed content,
content portions corresponding to at least some of the plurality of
data fields; and an application manager arranged to select a
personal information manager on the basis of the identified
content; wherein the application manager is arranged to provide the
selected personal information manager with the identified content
portions so as to update the selected personal information manager
with parameters accompanying the taken-up service.
2. A mobile communications device according to claim 1, wherein the
application manager includes the parser.
3. A mobile communications device according to claim 1, wherein at
least some of the content portions correspond to temporal
parameters accompanying the taken-up service and the selected
personal information manager is arranged to update a schedule for
the user with the temporal parameters.
4. A mobile communications device according to claim 3, wherein the
selected personal information manager is arranged to update the
schedule so as to indicate a period of applicability of the
taken-up service.
5. A mobile communications device according to claim 4, wherein the
period of applicability comprises an end point and the selected
personal information manager is arranged to trigger a notification
to the user in advance of the end point.
6. A mobile communications device according to claim 1, wherein at
least some of the content portions correspond to contact
information associated with the taken-up service and the selected
personal information manager is arranged to update contacts data
maintained thereby.
7. A mobile communications device according to claim 6, in which
the contactless smart-card device is integral with a Subscriber
Identity Module (SIM) associated with the mobile communications
device.
8. A mobile communications device according to claim 7, in which
the interface is arranged to identify a radio frequency
communications protocol associated with the smart-card device so as
to wirelessly retrieve the data from the smart-card device.
9. A mobile communications device according to claim 7, wherein the
mobile communications device is arranged to retrieve the data from
the smart-card device via a wired connection and contact pads of
the SIM.
10. A mobile communications device according to claim 1, in which
the smart-card device is located remote from the mobile
communications device and the interface is arranged to identify a
radio frequency communications protocol associated with the
smart-card device so as to wirelessly retrieve the data from the
smart-card device.
11. A method of providing a user with access to information
relating to authorised take-up of a service for which authorisation
is provided using a contactless smart-card device, the method
comprising: receiving an update message including parameters
relating to the service; and in response to the update message,
populating a data store for a selected personal information manager
associated with the user, the selected personal information manager
data store including data fields corresponding to the
parameters.
12. A method according to claim 11, in which the personal
information manager is configured to run on a mobile communications
device, the mobile communications device being separate from the
smart-card device.
13. A method according to claim 12, in which the update message is
received by the mobile communications device via an Over The Air
(OTA) message or via Short Message Service (SMS) message.
14. A method according to claim 12, in which the update message is
received by the mobile communications device via a Near Field
Communications (NFC) interface.
15. A method of configuring data for use in updating a personal
information manager running on a mobile communications device
comprising a plurality of personal information managers, the data
being in a first format associated with authorised take-up of a
service for which authorisation is provided using a contactless
smart-card device, wherein the first format is exclusively machine
readable, the method comprising: parsing the data in the first
format so as to identify content therein; selecting a personal
information manager on the basis of the identified content;
translating at least some of the content to produce translated
content; and using the translated content to update the selected
personal information manager with parameters accompanying the
taken-up service.
16. A method according to claim 15, including using the translated
content to create entries in a schedule maintained by the selected
personal information manager, the entries being indicative of
temporal parameters accompanying the taken-up service.
17. A method according to claim 16, including using the translated
content to update the schedule so as to indicate a period of
applicability of the taken-up service.
18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the period of
applicability comprises an end point and the method includes
configuring the selected personal information manager to trigger a
notification to the user in advance of the end point.
19. A method according to claim 15, further comprising using the
identified content to update contacts data maintained by the
selected personal information manager.
20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising translating
the content in accordance with formatting requirements associated
with the selected personal information manager.
21. A method according to claim 20, in which the contactless
smart-card device is integral with a Subscriber Identity Module
(SIM) associated with the mobile communications device.
22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising identifying
a radio frequency communications protocol associated with the
smart-card device so as to wirelessly retrieve the data in the
first format from the smart-card device.
23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising retrieving
the data in the first format from the smart-card device via a wired
connection and contact pads of the SIM.
24. A method according to claim 15, in which the smart-card device
is located remote from the mobile communications device and the
method further comprises identifying a radio frequency
communications protocol associated with the smart-card device so as
to wirelessly retrieve the data in the first format from the
smart-card device.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120
of International Application No. PCT/EP2008/064032, filed Oct. 17,
2008 under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which was published
by the International Bureau in English as WO2009/050262 A2, which
designated the United States and claims the benefit of GB
Application No. 0720382.1, filed Oct. 18, 2007, and also claims the
benefit of EP Application No. 07118806.4, filed Oct. 18, 2007. Each
of the above referenced applications is incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a method and system for
contactless smart-cards, and is particularly but not exclusively
suitable for use in updating a personal information manager on a
mobile communications device with data relating to authorized
take-up of a service for which authorization is provided using a
contactless smart-card device.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Contactless smart-card technology, commonly referred to as
Near Field Communications-based technology, is a popular mechanism
for providing access to prepaid goods, services and events. The
standards for contactless smart-card communications are ISO/IEC
14443 (2001), which allows communications at distances up to 10 cm
and ISO 15693, which allows communications at distances up to 50
cm. Another, related, contactless technology is Radio frequency
identification (RFID), and read distances for such RFID tags are
typically between 10 cm and several meters. Certain contactless
technologies additionally include security protocols for
authentication and ciphering in addition to the underlying
communications mechanisms. All types of contactless cards are
memory storage devices with means for transceiving data and certain
types of contactless cards additionally include hardware that can
be configured to process data stored thereon. A common contactless
smart-card technology is Mifare.TM., which, whilst being based upon
the ISO 14443 (RFID) Type A 13.56 MHz contactless smart-card
standard, is proprietary.
[0006] There is a general push in the services and transaction
industries to consolidate the various smart-card and personal
devices into a single device; accordingly various vendors are
working towards providing SIM chips and cards that can store Mifare
fare-collection service and other contactless applications in NFC
phones. However, a general problem faced by all users of
contactless cards is that the transaction data stored thereon can
only be viewed when the user is in proximity of a card reader that
is enabled to decode the transaction data. Furthermore, the data
that can be presented is typically extremely limited and of course
the user either has to take the contactless card to the reader in
order to view any information stored thereon, or in the case where
the transaction has been performed via an internet service, the
user has to log onto the internet to review this information.
SUMMARY OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE ASPECTS
[0007] In accordance with an aspect the present invention there is
provided a method and device according to the appended claims.
[0008] With embodiments of the invention a mobile device is
configured with software components that retrieve data from a
contactless card and translate the data into a format
understandable by personal information management systems running
on the mobile device. Since contactless cards typically store
transaction data relating to goods, services and events taken up by
the user of the mobile device, embodiments of the invention
therefore provide the user with access to related parameters. This
enables a user to become far more informed as to the usage and
applicability of the goods, services and events than is possible
with current arrangements.
[0009] Examples of personal information managers include calendar
applications, contacts applications, web-based services, among
others. In the case of the calendar application, embodiments of the
invention can advantageously be configured to update schedule
information to indicate duration of season tickets, passes and the
like, and also to prompt the user of the mobile device when expiry
of a given ticket or pass is imminent.
[0010] The contactless card can be remote from the mobile device,
or can be embodied within a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), in
which case the SIM includes a NFC micro-processor or an RF chip and
memory for storing the transaction data, or can be embedded within
the mobile device or within the battery of the mobile device.
[0011] Further features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of
the invention, given by way of example only, which is made with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing components of a
mobile device configured according to an embodiment of the
invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a first configuration
of a contactless card and the mobile device of FIG. 1
[0014] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing software components
configured on the mobile device of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 4a is a schematic diagram showing data stored by the
contactless card shown in FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 4b is a schematic diagram showing the data of FIG. 4a
having been translated according to an embodiment of the invention;
and
[0017] FIG. 4c is a schematic diagram showing a calendar personal
information manager of the mobile device of FIG. 2 configured to
display the data of FIG. 4a according to an embodiment of the
invention;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of the
components of an embodiment of the invention on a contactless card,
a subscriber identity module (SIM) card and a mobile device;
[0019] FIG. 6a is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of the
components of a further embodiment of the invention on a SIM card,
which includes a near field communications (NFC) chip, and a mobile
device, which includes a reader and an application manager;
[0020] FIG. 6b is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of the
components of a further embodiment of the invention on a SIM card,
which includes a NFC chip and a reader, and a mobile device, which
includes an application manager;
[0021] FIG. 6c is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of the
components of a further embodiment of the invention on a SIM card,
which includes a NFC chip that includes a data store, and a mobile
device, which includes a reader and an application manager;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of the
components of a further embodiment of the invention on a mobile
device and a battery thereof; and
[0023] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of the
components of a further embodiment of the invention on a SIM card,
which includes a NFC chip, a reader, and an application manager,
and a mobile device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0024] As described above, embodiments of the invention are
concerned with providing users of mobile devices with readily
understood access to transaction data stored on contactless cards.
An example of such a mobile device is shown in FIG. 1: the mobile
terminal 2 has an antenna 100 for communicating across a radio
access layer in a known manner and provides a user interface,
having a keypad 103 and display screen 105, a loudspeaker 107 and a
microphone 109; alternatively the user interface could comprise
components such as touch screens, touch pads and the like. The
terminal 2 also comprises a processor 111, an operating environment
113 comprising standard memory, storage and operating system
components, together with various standard software applications
114 such as conventional information management, or personal
information, applications such as a contacts manager, calendar, a
task manager, and the like. Thus, each personal information manager
114 has its own data store (not shown), which comprises a plurality
of data fields associated with the application. Such a personal
information manager 114 is executed by the processor 111, may have
access to the components of the mobile device 2, and may interact
with other software application modules. For instance, interaction
with the voice communication software application allows for
managing phone calls, voice mails, etc., and interaction with the
data communication software application enables for managing SMS
(short message service), MMS (multimedia service), e-mail
communications and other data transmissions. The operating
environment 113 provides a file system to facilitate permanent
storage of data items on the device including for example calendar
entries, contacts etc. In addition the mobile device is also
provided with a smart-card reader 118 of known type for interacting
with a removable or non-removable SIM or a UICC 119, which may be
provided with a processor, operating environment, and software
applications.
[0025] The mobile terminal 2 comprises an input/output interface
116 comprising a cellular interface, a standardized data
communications bus and an interface configured to carry short-range
communications technologies such as WLAN, Bluetooth and RFID
technologies. Turning to FIG. 2, the interface 116 enables the
mobile device 2 to communicate with other devices via a public land
mobile network (PLMNs) 201 in form of e.g. cellular networks, such
as GSM (global system for mobile communication) or UMTS (universal
mobile telecommunications system). Typically the voice and/or data
communication is operated with core network components via a radio
interface, i.e. a cellular communication interface to a base
station (BS) 203 being part of a radio access network (RAN) of the
infrastructure of the cellular network. In addition the mobile
device 2 includes a Near Field Communications (NFC) interface 101,
which is adapted to transceive data to and from Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) tags such as Mifare Ultralight, Mifare 1 k,
Mifare 4 k, or e.g. ISO 14443-4 tag.
[0026] In a first arrangement the mobile device 2 receives data
from such a tag 211 on a contactless card 213 (collectively
referred to as a smart-card or smart-card module) via the NFC
interface 101 and passes the data to bespoke software components
115, 117 under control of the processor 111 and operating
environment 113. Data received from such a contactless card 213
will hereinafter be referred to as Mifare data; it is, however, to
be understood that this label is used for convenience and is not
intended to limit the type of data that are received from
contactless cards according to embodiments of the invention. These
data are stored on the Mifare card 213 when the user is authorized
to use, access or receive goods or services associated with a
transaction, such as the purchase of a travel permit, entertainment
events, sports events and the like. The transaction can be effected
via a medium such as the Internet (e.g. via a web service or the
like), resulting in the contactless card 213 being updated
remotely, or can be effected directly (e.g. by physically
purchasing a service), resulting in the contactless card 213 being
updated or issued physically, or through an NFC transaction with an
external reader at a Point of Sale (PoS) or contactless kiosk.
[0027] Turning to FIG. 3, the first bespoke software component 115
includes a polling and authentication software component and a
retrieval software component 115a, 115b: the polling and
authentication software component 115a is configured to transmit
Radio Frequency messages whose purpose is to solicit responses from
NFC cards within range. When an NFC card 213 responds to the
polling message, the authentication software component 115a
requests identification data from the card 213 and compares this
with authentication information (e.g. in the form of keys or the
like) prestored by the mobile device 2 in order to determine
whether or not the mobile device 2 is authorized to read Mifare
data from the card 213. Typically the authentication process
involves the exchange of keys over a secure channel; this process
is well known in the art and outside the scope of the present
invention.
[0028] Once authenticated, the retrieval software component 115b is
arranged to request Mifare data from the card 213 in accordance
with the communications protocol associated with the card 213 (e.g.
ISO 14443), and to store the retrieved Mifare data in memory
(either phone memory or SIM 119 memory) for further processing by
the second bespoke processing component 117. The second bespoke
processing component 117 comprises format translation software,
which, on the basis of the identity of the card, is arranged to
retrieve a set of format translation rules and to parse the data
stored in memory using the rules. The format translation rules are
stored in a database DB1 local to the mobile device 2 and can be
updated by means of control messages delivered independently to the
mobile device 2 by card providers e.g. via Over The Air (OTA)
messages sent via the cellular network 201. The format translation
software 117 interfaces with the personal information manager
components 114, using e.g. an Application Programming Interface
(API) associated therewith, and is arranged to translate the data
extracted from the card 213 into a format suitable for use by one
or more of the personal information managers. FIG. 4a shows an
example of Mifare data retrieved from the card 213, and FIG. 4b
shows an example of the output from the format translation software
component 117: it can be seen that the type of data
(transportation, event), dates and other ancillary information have
been decoded from the raw Mifare data.
[0029] In one embodiment the format translation software component
117 is arranged to create calendar update messages via the calendar
API; the update messages comprise instructions for updating
scheduling data used by the calendar personal information manager
114a and contain date- and time-related data that have been decoded
from the card 213. The calendar update messages can be tagged with
display instructions, including color, formatting, and position
information, and these instructions are used by the calendar
personal information manager to present the content of the updating
messages in accordance with the display instructions. FIG. 4c shows
an example of a calendar having been updated in accordance with
exemplary updating messages received from the format translation
software component 117. It will be appreciated that the calendar
information manager 114a can be additionally configured to issue
reminders to the user when an "end" of a given time period is
approaching; in this way the user can be provided with
automatically generated reminders that his travel pass (or other
service of finite duration) is due to expire. These reminders
could, for example, be presented in conjunction with a Wireless
Access Protocol (WAP) session linked to a Web-based transaction
service from which the user can perform a further transaction (e.g.
extend their travel pass; buy tickets to further events etc.).
[0030] In addition to interfacing with the calendar personal
information manager, the format translation software component 117
can interface with other personal information managers, and
selection of an appropriate information manager is dependent on the
content of the Mifare data translated by the format translation
software component 117. Accordingly the translation software
component 117 is preferably arranged to identify key words from the
translated Mifare data, and on the basis of prestored rules mapping
key words to personal information managers, sends update messages
to a selected one (or selected ones) of the personal information
manager. For example, in the event that the Mifare data
additionally or alternatively comprises data indicative of contact
details for a transportation service, the contact details
(including web page, phone, fax or email details) could be
transferred to the contacts manager via an update message, thereby
providing the user with a means to contact to the travel service at
a later date.
[0031] It will be appreciated that in the first arrangement the
smart-card 213 is used to access, e.g. transportation and events,
while the mobile device 2 is used to provide the user of the mobile
device 2 with information relating thereto.
[0032] FIG. 5 shows a further example of the first arrangement of
the components. In this example, the smart-card 213 comprises a
Mifare chip 211 which includes a data store 217. The mobile device
2 comprises a plurality of personal information managers (PIMs)
114, a local database DB1 and an application manager 500. The
application manager 500 includes the Application Programming
Interface (API) to allow interfacing with the PIMs 114. The
application manager 500 further includes the format translation
software component 117 which parses the data stored in the local
database DB1 of the mobile device 2; alternatively such data can be
stored in a data store of the application manager 500. The
authentication and retrieval software components 115 (including
components 115a and 115b) are preferably included in a separate
reader component 600 (which may comprise input/output interface
116), together with NFC interface 101, which is adapted to receive
data from (and optionally to transmit data to) chip 211.
Alternatively, application manager 500 and reader 600 are
optionally integrated into a single component. The SIM card 119
comprises a SIM memory 219 in which data relating to, for example,
details of the network subscription of the particular mobile
terminal 2 is stored. In this example the components of the SIM 119
do not play an active role in the NFC data transfer or processing
and this SIM is entirely conventional; however, in an alternative
arrangement the reader 600 and/or the application manager 500 may
be included in the SIM 119.
[0033] As described above, updating messages are sent by the format
translation software component 117 to the relevant PIM(s); since in
this arrangement all of the bespoke software components are on the
mobile device, the components of the mobile device 2 are used to
update the relevant PIM(s) with parameters accompanying the
taken-up service.
[0034] FIGS. 6a to 8 show alternative examples of arrangements of
the mobile communications system, in which the NFC chip 211 is
included in one of the SIM card 119 or the mobile device 2.
[0035] Referring to FIG. 6a, in a second arrangement the SIM 119
comprises a Mifare chip 211; the transaction data can either be
stored on chip 211 or on a portion of the SIM 119 assigned to store
the Mifare data.
[0036] When the transaction data are stored in a portion 212 of the
SIM memory as shown in FIG. 6a, these data will either have been
sent to the mobile device 2 via OTA SMS Point-to-Point Download
messages transmitted in accordance with GSM TS 03.48 from a service
provider (e.g. a transaction manager) and transferred to the SIM in
accordance with GSM TS 11.14, or downloaded to the SIM via the NFC
interface 101 of the mobile device 2 e.g. at transportation
stations equipped with RFID emitting tags or contactless
transceivers when the mobile device 2 is within range of the tag or
contactless transceivers. Alternatively, referring to FIG. 6b,
reader 600 including interface 101 can be included in the SIM 119
itself, and hence transaction data can be downloaded directly to
the SIM 119, effectively bypassing the mobile device 2.
[0037] When the transaction data are transferred directly to and
stored on the chip 211 (rather than in SIM memory) and the
interface 101 is on the mobile device 2, the data can be read by
the mobile device 2 from the chip 211 via the NFC interface 101 as
described above for the first embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 6c.
Alternatively the transaction data can be sent by the service
provider via OTA messages to the mobile device 2 and stored thereby
for use by the retrieval and authentication software components
115, 117.
[0038] In other embodiments, the invention is used in conjunction
with SIM-less mobile phones such as Wi-Fi phones. Such an
arrangement, where each of the application manager 500, reader 600,
local database DB1, PIMs 114 and NFC chip 211 are housed in the
mobile device or phone 2, is shown in FIG. 7. In such a phone 2 the
NFC chip 211 (including micro-processor) is preferably incorporated
as part of the phone battery 700, and can be removable therewith.
Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the data store 217,
the reader 600 and the application manager 500 can be incorporated
as part of the phone battery 700, allowing such components to be
removable with the battery 700. As indicated above, the local store
DB1 and the reader including interface 101 can be incorporated with
the application manager 500 into a single physical component 701,
to allow ease of manufacture of the mobile device 2.
[0039] Still further, whilst in the above embodiments the bespoke
software components 115, 117 are stored and run on the mobile
device 2, they could alternatively be stored and run on the SIM 119
using the SIM Tool Kit (STK); in this case the updating messages
sent to the personal information managers 114 would be sent from
the SIM 119 to the mobile device 2. Such an arrangement is shown in
FIG. 8. The NFC chip 211 again comprises data store 217, and
communicates with the reader 600, which includes NFC interface 101
for doing so. The translation software component 117 of the
application manager 500 receives data from the store 217 via the
reader 600 and parses the data using format translation rules
retrieved from the local database DB1. As described above, updating
messages are sent by the format translation software component 117
to the relevant PIM(s) 114; in this case the messages are
transferred from the SIM 119 to the mobile device 2. Hence, the
components of the SIM 119 are used to update the relevant PIM(s)
114 with parameters accompanying the taken-up service.
[0040] In any of these arrangements the mobile device 2 is used to
access transportation and events, and additionally provides the
user with information relating thereto.
[0041] In any of the embodiments of FIGS. 6a-c, 7 and 8, the NFC
chip 211 can include a data store 217, or alternatively a data
store that is associated with, but is external to, the chip 211 but
included on the card 213, SIM 119 or mobile device 2 on which the
chip 211 is incorporated, may be employed. Additionally, multiple
data stores 217 may be employed on or in association with the chip
211.
[0042] In implementing the NFC-enabled mobile communications device
2, transaction data utilized by the NFC chip 211 may be received
via one or more OTA messages sent to the phone or the SIM 119 via
the STK, or to both of these in the case that the NFC chip can
access one or more stores on the mobile communications device 2,
the SIM 119 and the NFC chip 211. Such transaction data can also be
uploaded to the mobile device when the device is in the vicinity of
a suitably configured point of sale, such as a bespoke kiosk.
[0043] The retrieval and authentication software components 115a,
115b can be invoked either in response to successful updates to the
SIM with the Mifare data, at specified periods, manually invoked by
the user, or in response to the transaction data being stored by
the chip 211 (it is to be noted that the process of storing raw
Mifare data on the SIM is entirely independent of subsequent access
to these data by embodiments of the invention). Irrespective of the
trigger, the authentication software component 115a is arranged to
exchange authentication data with corresponding information stored
on the SIM 119 (either in SIM memory or on the smart-card chip
211); assuming the authentication software 115a to be authorized to
access the data, the Mifare data are retrieved by the retrieval
software component 115b in accordance with standard or proprietary
challenge and authentication procedures. Once retrieved from the
SIM, the data are processed by the format translation software
component 117, and personal information managers are updated as
described above for the first embodiment.
[0044] Additional Features & Modifications
[0045] In one arrangement the authentication and data retrieval
software components 115, 117 are configured as phone MIDlets or SIM
Applets using readily available J2ME, JCOP (Java Card Open
Platform) Operating System, SIM Tool Kit (STK), Java Card, J2SE and
J2EE platforms
[0046] Whilst the above-embodiments relate to the reading and
processing of contactless card data by a mobile device such as a
smart phone, the embodiments could be configured on bespoke kiosks
or terminals that transceive Mifare data and which, when the data
are proximate to the terminal, read and display the data as
described above. Such terminals could be conveniently provided at
outposts corresponding to a given transaction (e.g. an event
location, a transportation station etc.).
[0047] One arrangement in which the components discussed above may
be implemented is within a suitable range of a public advertisement
or other item for distributing information, such as, for example, a
poster advertising a television program. Such a poster can be
provided with a data emitting chip which emits relevant data to the
mobile device 2 when it is within range of the chip. Therefore, the
mobile device 2 can passively receive program identification data
when the mobile device in within a suitable range of the poster.
The user can then subsequently scan the mobile device against a set
top box (STB), which receives the identification data and downloads
the appropriate program schedule to the NFC store 217 of the mobile
device. This data can then be accessed by appropriate components
such as the application manager 500, as described above, and the
user's calendar can be updated with the program schedule.
[0048] Further, whilst embodiments are described within the context
of a mobile phone, embodiments could alternatively be configured
within laptop devices having 3 G modems and 3 G device drivers,
within Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), within watches
configured with processing resources, within Apple iPod.TM.
devices, within Apple iPhone.TM. devices and the like. Each such
device requires software and hardware capable of communicating with
NFC micro-processors, and memory and processing capability for
supporting the authentication, retrieval and formatting processes
and for running personal information managers that receive the
translated NFC data together with instructions for providing the
data to the user.
[0049] The above embodiments are to be understood as illustrative
examples of the invention. Further embodiments of the invention are
envisaged. It is to be understood that any feature described in
relation to any one embodiment may be used alone, or in combination
with other features described, and may also be used in combination
with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, or any
combination of any other of the embodiments. Furthermore,
equivalents and modifications not described above may also be
employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which
is defined in the accompanying claims.
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